


Types

by yeaka



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Episode: s02e02 Metamorphosis, M/M, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:34:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21825247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Spock’s the companion, and they found a way to leave.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock
Comments: 6
Kudos: 90





	Types

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Based on the Metamorphosis episode.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Star Trek or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

The Enterprise’s systems are incredibly complex, far evolved beyond the simple circuits of old, but they still require electricity to run. When the com panel in Leonard’s office suddenly stops working, it doesn’t take two guesses to figure out why. He’s missing a patient, and he can’t even warn the captain. He has to do it the old fashioned way. 

He gets into the turbolift, rides up to the bridge, finds Sulu in the captain’s seat and instead diverts to the ready room. Sure enough, Jim’s sitting there, tapping away at his computer and looking perfectly innocent. Leonard strolls up to the edge of his desk and grunts, “It’s on the loose again.”

“It?” Jim asks, quirking a brow without looking up.

“The companion. You know damn well what I mean.” Jim finally tears his eyes away from his console, and Leonard takes the opportunity to growl, “We never should’ve taken it off Vulcan. It’s not meant to survive in our atmosphere, Jim! Without a certain period spent in the generative field we have rigged up down there—”

Jim cuts him off with a raised hand and admits, “Bones. I know. He’s with me.” Leonard just scowls. Glancing over his shoulder, Jim sighs, “Spock, come out.”

The floating yellow cloud that Jim seems to equate with a _normal_ humanoid, fit with their concept of gender and a Federation Standard name and everything, wafts right out of the wall. It hovers just behind Jim’s chair—a little closer, and it’ll envelop him—the way it prefers to communicate. That’s how they first made contact with it: it swallowing their captain up, and Jim bizarrely accepting it.

Leonard’s all for meeting and respecting new life forms, but he still can’t get over the bond his best friend’s developed with a floating ball deadly electricity. It hums, and the universal translator lets out a distinctly male, level, almost monotone voice: _“Your concern is illogical, Doctor. I do not require further regeneration for another one point seven three of your Earth hours.”_

Though Jim dons an indulgent grin, Leonard frowns. The damn thing sounds like a computer, and it’s always _judging_ him. “Now listen here, you amorphous light bulb—”

“ _Bones_ ,” Jim warns, because for some reason, he seems to have become quite attached to that light bulb. “If Spock says he can exist outside the Vulcan relics for a little longer, he can. Show a little understanding. He didn’t leave his homeworld just to sit around sickbay—the whole idea was to see the galaxy.”

“You mean on the bridge,” Leonard points out, “So what’s it doing in here?”

Jim doesn’t answer, but his eyes twinkle, as if to say: _I think you know._ The worst part is that Leonard does. Before they got the translator running and understood more of its personality, Jim was colloquially calling it ‘the companion.’ It’s quite obvious _whose_ companion it’s become. 

Leonard’s one part happy for them, two parts annoyed. He glares at Jim, who insists, “Just give it a little longer, Bones. He’ll be down before any damage is done. I promise.”

_“Yes. It would be illogical to allow myself to expire.”_

Leonard rolls his eyes and begrudgingly agrees, “Fine—but don’t tamper with my systems again!”

_“I did no such thing.”_

“Like hell you didn’t—my com’s not working.”

“My bad,” Jim admits, throwing Leonard a sheepish look. “I guess I was hoping to buy us some time before my favourite mother hen inevitably gave me a talking to.”

Leonard splutters. He just can’t deal with either of them. He makes his way out, leaving just in time to miss Spock surrounding Jim again, truly connecting them beyond human reach.


End file.
